Axle-box and axle connection.



No.l 660,965.-

Ptemu out; 30,1 i900. W. H. MATTHEW.

XLE BOX AND AXLE CONNECTION.

4 d (Applicati Q0,

(No Model'.)

on. led May 2, 19

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IIIIHIX` l A a a llivirnn STATES PATENT trios.

WIL-LIAM H. MATTHEW, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

AXLE-BOX AND AXLE CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,965, dated October30, 1900.

Application filed May 2, 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MATTHEW, of Zanesville, in the county ofMuskingum, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Axles and Box and Axle Connections, of which'thefollowing is a complete specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

The object of my-invention is to produce improvements in that class ofbox and axle connections in which the box is secured to the axle by anut at the inner end of the box, whereby the connection may be renderedsnug, durable, and dust-proof, whereby the form of the spindle lendsmaximum strength to the axle, and whereby theconnection between the boxand the axle may be readily disassembled from the axle whenever and forwhatsoever purpose desired. Subordinate to the general object of myinvention, as above stated, is the specific purpose of adapting my axle(shown in United States Patent No. 479,223, issued July 19, 1892) foruse with inside box and axle connections as distinguished from theordinary nut screwed upon the outer end of the spindle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a plan view of a portion of anaxle with its spindle and box united by my improved connections, all ofthe members except the axle being shown in section. Fig. II is a Viewsimilar to Fig. I, illustrating my invention as adapted to a specialform of axle provided with removable bearing members.

Referring tothe numerals on the drawings, l indicates a portion of anaxle provided with a spindle 2, the axle and spindle proper being unitedby an enlarged cylindrical part or collar 3, the purpose of the collarbeing to aord increased strength at the point of greatest strain.

4 indicates an axle-box which properly iits the spindle 2 and is closedat its outer end, as indicated at 5. The box is preferably provided atits inner end with a shoulder 6, in which is a recess formed by anannular wall 7. rlhis recess is designed to accommodate a bearing andretaining ring 8, that is internally threaded to fit external threadsIO, formed upon the spindle adjacent to the collar 3, against which thering'S When in place is designed to abut.

Serial No. 15,217. (No model-l 11 indicates a nut which closely fits thecollar 3 and which is designed to be assembled in abutment against theend of the shoulder 7. It is provided with an annular recess l2, whichcorresponding in diameter to that defined by the wall 7 is designed toaccommodate the ring 8, so that when the nut 11 is secured against theend of the box, as illustrated, it holds the box snugly in place, thering 8 preventingmovement thereof in either direction. Around thespindle in the bottom ofthe recess defined by the walls 7 I prefer toprovide a washer 14, against which the ring 8 bears, and upon theopposite side of the ring within the recess l2 a corresponding washerl5.

For assembling the nut ll with the box in the manner above specified Iprefer to provide upon the nut ll a reduced end 16, which is externallythreaded to fit an internallyl threaded annular flange I7, formed withor united to a metallic sheath 18, which constitutes the outer surfaceof the hub, within -which the box is seated, the interior portion 19ofthe hub being preferably made of wood and the parts 4,1%, and 19 beingby any suitable means assembled in fixed relations to one another. Itmay be observed for completeness of description that 20 indicates spokeswhich project from the sheath 18 of the hub. A

In Fig. II of the drawings I illustrate means for securing a nut 2l,corresponding to the nut l1, above described, directly to the box 22,corresponding to the box 4, previously referred to. This illustration isintended to show how the box may be adapted to any form of wooden huband without reference to the structural details of any other part of thehub than the box. In this form of embodiment of my invention'the reducedend 23 of the nut 21 is'externally threaded to t within aninternally-threaded annular wall 24 on the end of the box 22,corresponding substantially to the wall 7 of the box 4. Upon axle-boxesto which the nutis directly secured--such, for example, as the box 22--Iprovide a reduced end 25, upon which screws a nut 26, by which the boxmay be directly fixed to a hub without respect to the structural detailsof the hub.

In the form of embodiment of my invention IOO illustrated in Fig. II, Iprovide an internallythreaded annulus 27, which, corresponding to thering 8, is secured to its spindle 2S, as by means of screw-th reads 29,corresponding to the screw-th reads 10, above referred to. The annulus27 fits Within a recess Within the reduced end 23 of the nut 21 anddiffers only from the ring 8 in that it is provided With a tubularextension 31, which fits snugly between the exterior ot' the spindle 28and the interior of the box 22. To accommodate the extension 31, whichconstitutes one portion of a removable bearing, the internal diameter ofthe box must be somewhat larger than the external diameter of thespindle 2S. Otherwise the spindle 2S may correspond in all respects tothe spindle 2. I prefer, however, to make the extension 31 shorter thanthe spindle 28 and to provide upon the end of the spindle a thimble 32,which is irrevolubly secured in place, as by a transversely-oblongreduced end 33 of the spindle fitting into a corresponding aperture inthe end ofthe thimble. Washers corresponding to the Washers 14 and 15may be employed upon the opposite sides of the annulus 27 or they may bedispensed with in each instance, if preferred. The spindle 28 is unitedto its axle 23, as by a cylindrical collar 37, the screw-threads 29being formed adjacent to the outer end of the collar, as illustrated inFig. II as Well as in Fig. I.

Iithin the nut which is designed to secure the box or hub to the axle Iprovide in an annular groove a Washer 38, which bearing against thecylindrical face of the collar of the axle alords, in connection withthe other parts of my device, effectual protection againstintrusion ofdust to the interior of the working parts. This construction is clearlyillustrated in Fig. I of the drawings.

By Way ot description of the operation of my device it appears sufcientto state that when the ring S or the equivalent annulus 27 is secured inplace and the box revolubly secured against said ring or annulus by itsnut the box is free to turn upon its spindle, While the nut revolvesupon its collar formed upon the spindle, the ring or annulus serving asa bearing or means of retention of the box and nut respectively. Itshould be observed also that the relations of the nut, box, and ring orann ulus afford secure protection from access of dust or the like to thebearing-surface'of the spindle.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a spindle, axlebox, and ringremovably secured to the spindle, of a nut securable to the axle-box,and opposite recesses in the nut and end of the axle-box, respectively,said recesses being adapted to receive and conjointly to closely fit thering substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The colnbination with a spindle and annulus threaded thereto near theinner end of the spindle, of a tubular extension upon the annulusfitting the smooth exterior surface of the spindle, a thimble secured tothe end of the spindle, and an axle-box working upon the thimble andextension and revolubly secured to the annulus, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination with aspindle, annulus and tubular extension securednear the inner end thereof,of a reduced end upon the spindle,irrevolubly itting within an aperture in the end of the thimble fittingon the end ot' the spindle, an axle-box fitting upon the thimble andextension respectively, and means for securing the axle-box revolubly tothe annulus, substantially as set forth.

4. rlhe combination with an axle, spindle, and intermediate cylindricalcollar, of a box and nut adapted to be secured directlyor indirectly tothe box, means for fixing the position of the box and nut revolubly uponthe spindle and collar respectively, and a Washer within the recess inthe inner wall of the nut Working against the collar, substantially asset forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM I-I. MATTHEW.

Witnesses J. J. MARTIN, M. R. MCCLELLAND.

